Share This Story!

Greek life activities cancelled at Tufts amid hazing reports

Spring recruitment for all Greek organizations at Tufts University has been voluntarily suspended, and all social events have been cancelled for the Fall 2016 semester, amid accusations of hazing and discrimination, as well as investigations by...

Greek life activities cancelled at Tufts amid hazing reports

Spring recruitment for all Greek organizations at Tufts University has been voluntarily suspended, and all social events have been cancelled for the Fall 2016 semester, amid accusations of hazing and discrimination, as well as investigations by the university and law enforcement.

According to the university, four fraternities have also been issued cease and desist orders pending the outcome of the investigations.

In a campus-wide email sent Dec. 2, the university affirmed the Tufts Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils' Nov. 16 voluntary decision to suspend social activities and recruitment.

“The Dean of Student Affairs Office, Office of Equal Opportunity and the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) have launched multiple investigations of several Greek organizations,” the announcement, obtained by USA TODAY College, read. “The University continues its investigations into these organizations and a number of separate reports that have been received by the Dean of Student Affairs Office and Office of Equal Opportunity regarding incidents of hazing and/or sexual misconduct.”

In light of the suspension, Tufts said all fraternities must participate in a sexual misconduct prevention training, an alcohol education session with the school's office of Health Promotion and Prevention and a training with a national hazing prevention expert.

“These preliminary steps do not preclude further appropriate action being taken by the University, but have been implemented as interim measures pending the outcome of the current investigations,” the announcement continued.

Su McGlone, director of the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life at Tufts, tells USA TODAY College she can't comment on the suspension of recruitment for Greek organizations.

The Tufts Daily reported Dec. 1 that Meaghan Annett, president of Tufts' Panhellenic Council, said the council is undergoing changes in structure and policy for the remainder of the academic year.

In the piece he describes alleged hazing he experienced after joining a fraternity in January 2015 and calls for the elimination of fraternities at Tufts. One alleged incident Kesslen describes is a "tradition" in which pledges and members are allegedly forced to watch and engage in sexual acts with women in front of their fraternity brothers. He also described alleged instances of discrimination based on gender, race and sexual orientation.

On Nov. 8, following the publication of Kesslen's piece, Tufts released a statement, calling the conduct described in the article “deeply disturbing” and stating it had launched an investigation into the allegations. The school also encouraged others to come forward and report.

The next day, the Tufts' Panhellenic Council published a statement in the Tufts Daily condemning the actions Kesslen described and stating that all of its organized events with fraternities and sports teams would be suspended.

“We, the members of the Panhellenic Council, want to acknowledge the current state of toxic hyper-masculinity in our country and in particular within Greek life at our university,” the statement read. “We are thankful that Ben Kesslen courageously brought this to light in his Nov. 7 Observer article. … We condemn both the sexual assault and the sexual harassment reported by Kesslen. We are disgusted and horrified that this is happening within the organizations with which we work.”

The council included a list of demands for fraternities, including an apology, increased accountability, attendance at the Inter-Greek Council (IGC) Sexual Assault Task Force meeting, the creation of a diversity inclusion chair who will receive training from the university and a change in language used by fraternities (such as “pledge").

“We demand you actively hold and engage in consistent, mandatory programming that challenges hetero-patriarchal structures and ideologies,” the statement continued. “We expect you to uphold your mission to form a society committed to becoming and cultivating better men, or rather, better humans.”

A week later, the InterFraternity Council released its own statement and agreed to:

Suspend social operations through the end of the Fall 2016 semester.

Initiate new members recruited in the fall immediately, ending the new member process.

Mandate members undergo sexual assault education.

Implement a diversity inclusion chair.

The statement also read:

“On behalf of all fraternities on Tufts campus, the Interfraternity Council (IFC) would like to issue an apology. The issues highlighted by the recent articles regarding Greek life have impacted everyone in a variety of ways. This news has disgusted our classmates, marginalized groups on campus and hurt our very own Greek community members. For this, we are deeply sorry.”

According to reporting by the Tufts Daily, Annett stressed that the ongoing details of changes in Greek life are not yet finalized. She said that the IGC plans to release a statement next week outlining how Greek life members and organizations plan on improving as a community at Tufts.

Sophia Tulp is an Ithaca College student and a USA TODAY College digital producer.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.